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Mich. Guard technicians, other defense workers back on job

Hundreds of Michigan National Guard members and civilian employees affected by the partial shutdown of the federal government have reported back to work.

More than 900 National Guard technicians returned to their jobs Tuesday after being furloughed last week, according to MLive.com and The Detroit News.

They were reinstated by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel after a review of the Pay Our Military Act determined the law allows the recall of most defense personnel whose responsibilities "contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members."

The Defense Department said about 90 percent of the 350,000 defense employees furloughed Oct. 1 returned to work this week.

Most of the furloughed civilian employees at the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command Life Cycle Management Command returned to work Monday. Roughly half of the 7,500 civilian workers in Warren were placed on furlough last week.

"As far as we know, virtually everybody is back at work at TACOM," Local 1658 AFGE union president Paul Veselenak told The Detroit News. The union represents local defense workers.

Training and pay for 12,000 guardsmen have also been delayed until an appropriations bill comes through, according to MLive.com.

"We don't know how long this is going to go on," Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais told hundreds of National Guard members Tuesday in Lansing. "We are really going down uncharted waters on the path that we are going on."

Vadnais is director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard.